Faculty Research

Image
Professional photo of Jessica Andrews-Hanna, Ph.D.

Jessica Andrews-Hanna, Ph.D.

Neural underpinnings of internally-guided cognition, including how they develop and change across the lifespan and how they become dysfunctional in clinical populations; functional MRI; default mode network
Image
Martha Bhattacharya, Ph.D.

Martha Bhattacharya, Ph.D.

The Bhattacharya Lab studies the molecular pathways that promote axon degeneration in the context of neuronal injury and neurodegenerative disease, using both Drosophila and mouse models
Image
Dr. James Bibb

James Bibb, Ph.D

We study neuronal signaling mechanisms that integrate fast and slow neurotransmission relevant to numerous neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders using innovative multidisciplinary approaches.
Image
Professional photo of Roberta Brinton, Ph.D.

Roberta Brinton, Ph.D.

Systems biology of aging transitions leading to risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, sex differences in bioenergetic aging of female and male brain, regenerative therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases
Image
Haijiang Cai, Ph.D.

Haijiang Cai, Ph.D.

Neural circuits of animal behaviors, with a focus on understanding how the neural circuits regulate feeding and emotional behaviors, using optogenetics, pharmacogenetics, electrophysiology, molecular, and behavior analysis tools
Image
Professional photo of Joao Carvalho De Souza, Ph.D.

Joao Carvalho De Souza, Ph.D.

Improving optocapacitance as a technique to photostimulate genetically unmodified neurons, by changing their membrane capacitance, in vivo and in vitro
Image
Professional photo of Ying-hui Chou, Sc.D.

Ying-hui Chou, Sc.D.

Developing image-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) approaches to improve cognitive functions and identifying TMS-derived and imaging-based biomarkers for diagnosis and prediction of therapeutic outcomes in individuals
Image
Professional photo of Stephen Cowen, Ph.D.

Stephen Cowen, Ph.D.

Understanding how the activities of ensembles of neurons drive our capacity to decide, remember, and navigate
Image
Anna Dornhaus

Anna Dornhaus, Ph.D.

The emergence of complexity and increased efficiency through collective behavior; effect of scaling in complex systems; the role of learning and individual variability for collective success
Image
Professional photo of Kristian Doyle, Ph.D.

Kristian Doyle, Ph.D.

The role of the immune system in chronic neurodegeneration after stroke and brain injury
Image
Erika Eggers, Ph.D.

Erika Eggers, Ph.D.

How inhibitory inputs influence neuronal signaling and sensory signal processing in the retina
Image
Arne Ekstrom, Ph.D.

Arne Ekstrom, Ph.D.

Work focuses on the neural basis of human memory, with a particular interest in spatial navigation
Image
Torsten Falk, Ph.D.

Torsten Falk, Ph.D.

Cellular and rodent models to test novel pharmacological treatments for levodopa-induced dyskinesias, a major side effect of Parkinson’s disease treatment, as well as new neuroprotective gene and drug therapy approaches to Parkinson’s disease
Image
Professional photo of Fabian-Xosé Fernandez, Ph.D.

Fabian-Xosé Fernandez, Ph.D.

Identifying circadian factors during middle age that increase risk for later-life cognitive impairment; devloping novel, light-based treatments to stem loss of cognition during aging
Image
Professional photo of Amelia Gallitano, M.D., Ph.D.

Amelia Gallitano, M.D., Ph.D.

The mechanism by which immediate early genes mediate the effect of environment on behavior, memory, synaptic plasticity, and the risk for mental illness
Image
Professional photo of Michael Grandner, Ph.D.

Michael Grandner, Ph.D.

The role of insufficient sleep in the development of cardiometabolic disease and neurocognitive dysfunction; social/behavioral/environmental determinants of sleep; and behavioral interventions for insufficient sleep
Image
Philipp Gutruf, Ph.D. posing for photo

Philipp Gutruf, Ph.D.

Wireless and battery free devices that intimately integrate with biological systems by combining innovations in soft materials photonics and electronics
Image
Anita Koshy, M.D

Anita Koshy, M.D

Understanding the molecular mechanisms that allow a common intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, to persist in the mammalian CNS
Image
Professional photo of Kaveh Laksari, Ph.D.

Kaveh Laksari, Ph.D.

Better diagnosis and protection against concussions and ischemic stroke through biomechanics and medical imaging
Image
Professional photo of Tally Largent-Milnes, Ph.D.

Tally Largent-Milnes, Ph.D.

The opioid and chronic pain epidemics go hand in hand; my lab investigates the intersection between the physiology of chronic pain states, analgesic pharmacology, and overcoming the gatekeeper of CNS pharmacology- the blood brain barrier
Image
Kevin Lin, Ph.D. smiling for photo

Kevin Lin, Ph.D.

Nonlinear dynamics of neurons and networks of neurons, data assimilation & data-driven modeling, computational neuroscience.
Image
Laurent Martin

Laurent Martin, Ph.D.

The intersection of neurodegeneration and pain management, aiming to understand how neurodegenerative diseases impact sensory processing; to develop non-pharmacological therapies that slow progression of these conditions while enhancing pain management
Image
Julie Miller

Julie Miller, Ph.D.

Neurogenetic mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal vocal communication
Image
headshot of Mary Peterson, Ph.D

Mary Peterson, Ph.D

Visual perception and cognition, object recognition, figure assignment, attention, language and space, behavioral and neuropsychological studies
Image
Paulo Pires, Ph.D. smiling for photo

Paulo Pires, Ph.D.

The long-term goal of our research is to find new targets for therapies to improve quality of life of patients with chronic diseases that lead to dementia
Image
Professional photo of John Regan, Ph.D.

John Regan, Ph.D.

Molecular studies of the structure and function of G-protein coupled receptors
Image
headshot of Linda Restifo, M.D., Ph.D.

Linda Restifo, M.D., Ph.D.

Genetics of brain development and neuronal plasticity; genetics of mental retardation; drug discovery for developmental brain disorders
Image
Arthur Riegel, Ph.D.

Arthur Riegel, Ph.D.

Synaptic dysfunction in neurological and psychiatric disorders related to addiction, pain and stress
Image
Kathleen Rodgers, Ph.D.

Kathleen Rodgers, Ph.D.

Evaluating the ability of angiotensin peptides and small molecule Mas agonists to mitigate injury and regenerate injured tissues and product development
Image
Patrick Ronaldson, Ph.D.

Patrick Ronaldson, Ph.D.

Targeting transporters for blood-brain barrier protection and for delivery of neuroprotective drugs in cerebral hypoxia/ischemia
Image
Professional photo of Lee Ryan, Ph.D.

Lee Ryan, Ph.D.

Neural basis of memory, age-related changes in memory, and how these changes relate to brain functioning
Image
Professional photo of Rita Sattler, MSc, Ph.D.

Rita Sattler, MSc, Ph.D.

Studies of molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration (ALS, FTD, and others) using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells
Image
Headshot of Rick Schnellmann, Ph.D.

Rick Schnellmann, Ph.D.

Identifying and developing drugs to treat stroke, spinal cord injury and Parkinson’s disease
Image
Jacob Schwartz

Jacob Schwartz, Ph.D

RNA-binding proteins involved in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Image
Shang Song

Shang Song, Ph.D.

Designing novel multimodal neuromodulation approaches (e.g. biomaterials, stem cells, electrical stimulation) to treat neurological disorders and building organ-on-chip models to understand brain-related diseases
Image
Professional photo of John Streicher, Ph.D.

John Streicher, Ph.D.

Studies the molecular mechanisms of opiod receptor signal transduction, with a goal of using these mechanisms to create novel drug discovery strategies that reduce the side effects of current opiod drugs
Image
George Sutphin, Ph.D. smiling for photo

George Sutphin, Ph.D.

The Sutphin Lab uses tools in systems and comparative genetics to understand the molecular basis of aging and neurodegeneration
Image
Professional photo of Todd Vanderah, Ph.D.

Todd Vanderah, Ph.D.

Understanding the neural-mediated mechanism underlying opioid tolerance and opioid-induced pain
Image
Professional photo of Xinglong Wang, Ph.D.

Xinglong Wang, Ph.D.

Causes, treatments, and diagnosis of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases
Image
Professional photo of Robert Wilson, Ph.D

Robert Wilson, Ph.D

Reinforcement learning and decision making; the neural basis of exploration and curiosity; neural and cognitive causes of "mistakes"
Image
Professional photo of Jean Wilson, Ph.D.

Jean Wilson, Ph.D.

Cell biology of epithelial tissues; Regulation of membrane trafficking in polarized and non-polarized cells
Image
Professional photo of Fei Yin, Ph.D.

Fei Yin, Ph.D.

Mitochondrial genotype and phenotype in brain aging and age-associated neurodegenerative diseases
Image
Haining Zhu, Ph.D.

Haining Zhu, Ph.D.

RNA binding proteins and RNA metabolism including protein translation and stress granules under physiological and pathological conditions
Image
Konrad Zinsmaier, Ph.D.

Konrad Zinsmaier, Ph.D.

The laboratory studies pathogenic mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and molecular mechanisms essential for maintaining synaptic function and plasticity